Shashwat Sharma will be the new CEO of Airtel, Gopal Vittal will play the role of Vice Chairman
Telecom service provider Bharti Airtel on Monday announced a top-level change, saying its Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Gopal Vittal will take over the role of Executive Vice Chairman from January 1, 2026. While Shashvat Sharma will take over as the new MD and CEO of the company from that date. Vittal has been the MD and CEO of Bharti Airtel for the last 12 years. Airtel said in a statement issued with the announcement of September quarter results, “As part of a well-structured succession process, Gopal is being appointed as the Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel Limited in addition to being the Managing Director. In this role, he will continue to lead the Indian business and will assume broad responsibilities in the group. “
Vittal will also be on the board of Airtel Africa
Vittal will also be appointed as a director on the board of Airtel Africa PLC to provide strategic guidance. He will take on the role of Executive Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel Limited on January 1, 2026. Sharma, who has been declared Vittal’s successor, is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company. He will be appointed MD and CEO of Bharti Airtel Limited on January 1, 2026. Sharma is being appointed as the company’s CEO-designate with the intention of preparing him for the new role. As the CEO-designate, he will be responsible for the entire consumer business.
Rajan Bharti Mittal returns to Airtel
Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal said that Airtel has a distinguished record of well-thought-out succession planning. Mittal said, “I am extremely happy with the leadership succession and change plan at Airtel. There could not have been a better time for Airtel to announce the new arrangement. Rakesh Bharti Mittal, who was associated with Airtel for nine years, will be included in the board of directors of Indus Towers Limited and Bharti Hexacom Limited. At the same time, Rajan Bharti Mittal has returned to Airtel as a nominee of Bharti Board with immediate effect. According to the statement, Amit Tripathi, currently Director of Marketing and Customer Experience, will be appointed Director (Market Operations), leading all circles and distribution strategy. At the same time, Siddharth Sharma, CEO of DTH, will be appointed Director of Marketing and CEO of Connected Homes. In his place, Pushpinder Gujral, CEO of Upper North Region, will be appointed CEO and Director of DTH.
